Breaking a leg

[JMadonna]

(11-30-2012 08:38 PM)L Verge Wrote:  1. Booth and Herold were still not together when reaching the top of Good Hope Hill, which at that time was outside the city and approximately 2-3 miles from the bridge. That's where they were both spotted by Polk Gardiner and a farmhand from Dr. Blandford, who lived a few miles south of Surrattsville. Obviously Booth hadn't broken his leg at that point. So he was getting farther and farther away from any rail station.

2. You know my personal feeling that Herold was in that area on April 12-13 spreading the alert signal that something was going to happen very quickly.

3. Forgot to add that I think rail stations and trains would have been some of the first places searched - and they didn't run every 15 minutes. Also, I suspect that telegraph lines were at or very near train stations so that alerts could go out quickly once the search was organized.

Laurie,
Your first point is correct. Exactly where the horse tripped after he crossed the bridge is a matter of debate. I believe his next stop was the tavern, which was slightly out of his way if he was heading for Baltimore. Why do it? One, to leave a bread crumb trail but more important - to get fresh horses for his all night ride north.

What was Mary Surratt's mission that day? To get those 'shootin irons' ready? Highly doubtful. She was under the belief that the kidnapping plot was going to be executed only Booth knew the real mission at that time. What he needed at that point in his escape was speed and distance not 'shootin irons'. Her real message was for Nothey to get the horses ready. This I believe was Herold's mission the day before - to locate where the horses were at. (supposedly they were in TB under the care of a notorious rebel who's name escapes me).

Whatever, as I said before things happen. Either Nothey was too drunk to get the horses, the horses were moved elsewhere or the horses were ready but Booth was too injured to be moved and complete the escape. We do know that the shootin irons were not ready because that was not the message she gave Nothey. They were still hidden behind the wall but under the stress of his interrogation and to protect members of the secret line, Nothey said that was her mission and it's been accepted ever since.

To Booth, the failure to get fresh horses really didn't matter when he reached the tavern. Even if they were there (which we don't know for certain) Booth's freshly broken leg forced a change in his plan. He headed to Dr. Mudd's for medical attention and you know the story from there.

As far as Booth being picked up because the telegraph would alert authorities again is doubtful. They had no pictures and from the dispatches I've read no physical description. A quick shave and some makeup would have gotten the actor by the detectives and quickly headed to friends in New York and Canada. It was his best chance and he knew it.